You can't blame all middle class struggles on Obama

Irving Glater's letter of July1, criticizing one of mine, indicates that the gulf between us is not as wide as had appeared. He agrees that the middle class is suffering at the hands of the rich and powerful. I share his disappointment with Obama's performance.

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seacoastonline.com

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Posted Jul. 8, 2014 at 2:00 AM

Posted Jul. 8, 2014 at 2:00 AM

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To the Editor:

Irving Glater's letter of July1, criticizing one of mine, indicates that the gulf between us is not as wide as had appeared. He agrees that the middle class is suffering at the hands of the rich and powerful. I share his disappointment with Obama's performance.

His letter appeared under the headline, "President Obama has done nothing to help the middle class." That goes too far. Under Obama, the top income tax rate, that had gone from 92 percent under Eisenhower to 36 percent under Bush, was increased to 39.6 percent. Obamacare got rid of the pre-existing conditions restriction and reduced the number of Americans with no health care coverage at all. Those steps were too small, but more than "nothing." Other efforts by Obama to help the struggling middle class, such as his proposals to reduce the interest rate on student loans and raising the minimum wage, have been blocked by Republicans.

Obama has made two fundamental errors. First, when he became president in the midst of an economic crisis, he surrounded himself with members of the establishment that caused the problem. The result was that no meaningful reform was enacted and the heads of the financial institutions responsible for the problem were not held accountable. In fact, most of them are still there, making millions in the same old irresponsible ways. Secondly, he tried to compromise with the Tea Party types. Compromise has been a key to the success of our political system, but it doesn't work when one of the parties won't compromise.

But what we all should be dealing with is the future. The country needs a leader who will help re-establish a strong middle class and promote investment in our future in education, technology, and infrastructure. Is it possible that Mr. Glater and I could agree on that?